Nursing Schools You Can Get Into With a 3.0 GPA (2026)

A 3.0 cumulative GPA is one of the most common floors in nursing school admissions. Plenty of accredited BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) programs publish a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and many set it even lower. If you are sitting right around a 3.0, the good news is that you are eligible to apply to a wide range of real programs.

The important caveat: a published minimum is not a guarantee of admission. Most BSN programs are competitive, and admitted students often land well above the stated floor. A 3.0 gets your application read; it does not get you a seat by itself. Treat the minimum as the door being open, then build the strongest possible application to walk through it.

Every school below has a published GPA floor at or below 3.0 that we have confirmed from official sources. Cutoffs change often, so always confirm current requirements on the official admissions page or the live program page before you apply.

How to read this list

For each school we list the published minimum cumulative GPA and the entrance exam it requires (TEAS, HESI A2, or none). A few things to keep in mind:

• Many programs also require a separate prerequisite or science GPA, which can be higher than the cumulative floor.
• Some schools publish a low GPA minimum but are still highly competitive because they rank applicants by GPA and exam score.
• Exam requirements vary widely. Some programs require no entrance exam at all; others want a specific TEAS or HESI percentage.

Want to see how your actual numbers stack up against a program before you apply? Check your odds free with your GPA and prerequisites, or browse all nursing programs to compare requirements side by side.

Texas

Texas has the largest set of qualifying programs, with floors ranging from 2.0 up to 3.0.

• Denver College of Nursing (Houston): 2.0 minimum GPA; uses the Wonderlic exam rather than TEAS or HESI.
• St. Mary's University (San Antonio): 2.0 minimum to apply, TEAS required; admission is highly competitive (about 35 seats per year).
• Chamberlain University (Houston, Irving, Pearland, San Antonio): 2.4 minimum GPA; HESI A2 required.
• Angelo State University (San Angelo): 2.5 minimum GPA; TEAS with 70% on Reading and Math.
• St. Edward's University (Austin): 2.5 minimum GPA; no entrance exam required.
• Texas Christian University (Fort Worth): 2.5 minimum GPA; TEAS required.
• Baylor University (Dallas): 2.75 minimum GPA; HESI A2 with an 80 composite (competitive, with a 3.0 prerequisite expectation).
• University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston: 2.75 minimum GPA; TEAS at 60%.
• Sam Houston State University (The Woodlands): 3.0 minimum GPA; TEAS overall score of 70.
• Texas Woman's University (Denton): 3.0 minimum GPA; TEAS at 64%.
• Prairie View A&M University (Houston): 3.0 cumulative and science GPA; HESI A2 at 75% per section.

Compare every Texas option together on the Texas nursing programs hub.

Georgia

Georgia offers many BSN programs with floors at 2.75 to 3.0.

• Gordon State College (Barnesville): 2.75 minimum GPA, 3.0 science GPA; TEAS required.
• South University (Savannah): 2.75 cumulative and science GPA; TEAS required.
• Clayton State University (Morrow): 2.8 cumulative and science GPA; no entrance exam listed.
• College of Coastal Georgia (Brunswick): 2.8 minimum GPA; HESI A2 at 80%.
• Augusta University (Augusta): 3.0 cumulative and science GPA; TEAS at 75%.
• Georgia State University (Atlanta): 3.0 cumulative and science GPA; TEAS required.
• Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw): 3.0 minimum GPA; TEAS required.
• Emory University (Atlanta): 3.0 minimum GPA; no entrance exam listed (highly selective overall).
• Mercer University, Georgia Baptist College of Nursing (Atlanta): 3.0 cumulative and science GPA; TEAS at 76%.

See the full set on the Georgia nursing programs hub.

Louisiana

Louisiana programs cluster between 2.5 and 3.0.

• Herzing University (Kenner): 2.5 minimum GPA; TEAS at 58%.
• Loyola University New Orleans: 2.5 minimum GPA; no entrance exam listed.
• Louisiana Christian University (Pineville): 2.6 minimum GPA; TEAS at 65%.
• Grambling State University (Grambling): 2.8 cumulative and science GPA; TEAS at 64%.
• Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge): 2.8 minimum GPA; TEAS required.
• LSU Health New Orleans: 3.0 minimum GPA; HESI A2 at 80%.
• Southeastern Louisiana University (Hammond): 3.0 minimum GPA; no entrance exam listed.

Browse them all on the Louisiana nursing programs hub.

Strong options in other states

Many qualifying programs sit in Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and beyond:

• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, UAMS (Little Rock): 2.5 cumulative and prerequisite GPA; TEAS at 60% (waived when both GPAs are 3.4+).
• University of Central Arkansas (Conway): 2.75 minimum GPA; no entrance exam required.
• University of Cincinnati (Ohio): 2.5 minimum GPA, 3.0 science GPA; TEAS required.
• Cleveland State University (Ohio): 2.5 minimum GPA, 3.0 science GPA; no entrance exam listed.
• University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City): 2.5 cumulative and science GPA; no entrance exam listed.
• Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond): 2.5 minimum GPA; no entrance exam listed.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 2.8 cumulative and science GPA; no entrance exam listed (very competitive).
• California State University, Fresno: 3.0 cumulative and science GPA; TEAS at 75%.
• University of Iowa (Iowa City): 3.0 minimum GPA; no entrance exam listed.

These are a sample, not the full list. To see every qualifying program with current requirements, browse all nursing programs and filter by your numbers.

A 3.0 minimum does not mean easy admission

Several schools on this list publish a low floor but admit competitively. Programs like Baylor, Emory, UNC Chapel Hill, and St. Mary's set a modest GPA minimum yet receive far more qualified applicants than they have seats. In those cases the published number tells you who may apply, not who gets in. If you are at a 3.0, prioritize:

1. Prerequisite and science GPA. Many programs weigh these separately, and a strong science GPA can offset a borderline cumulative number.
2. Your entrance exam. A high TEAS or HESI A2 score is one of the fastest ways to strengthen a 3.0 application.
3. Healthcare experience and a focused essay, which matter most in holistic review.

Not sure which programs fit your numbers? Start with what GPA you need for nursing school and the nursing prerequisites checklist, then check your odds free against real program requirements.

Next steps

A 3.0 GPA opens the door to a large number of accredited BSN programs across the country. Use it as a starting point, confirm each school's current cutoff on its official page, and build the rest of your application to stand out. Because requirements shift every cycle, always verify on the live program page before you apply.

*This guide is for planning purposes only. Always confirm current requirements on each school's official admissions page before applying.*